Campaign launched to improve assistance to homeless, beggars

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide campaign to improve the relief service for homeless people and beggars who have no means of living.

The campaign, launched by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other 10 departments, urged local authorities to identify the identity information of stranded personnel through methods including DNA matching and face recognition to help them find families.

Local authorities should assist people who have been stranded for a long period to settle down, according to the ministry.

Police and city management organs should promote security management to reduce "professional begging," and avoid injuries and death due to frost and starvation, the ministry said.

Civil affairs authorities at all levels should guide the relief management institutions to establish information bases for strays and vagrants, said the ministry.

It also called for improving the quality of relief management workers and care service, and exploration of third-party supervision to oversee the operation of local relief management institutions and care services.

The campaign will last from March 2020 to June 2021.